This invention relates to a form of collagen that is uniquely suited for ophthalmic uses. In more specific embodiments, this invention relates to a process for preparing ophthalmological collagen coverings and to coverings prepared by this process and useful in all kinds of ophthalmological operations, as well as in a conservative treatment of traumatic and trophic injuries of the cornea of the eye having different etiology.
The present stage of the development of eye surgery features a high quality of surgical treatment. In this respect there is a problem of developing new methods and agents making it possible to reduce the number of post-operational complications, to shorten the time of hospital stays, and to ensure higher functional results of operations on the globe of the eye.
Known in the art are materials produced from collagen and methods of dissolution of collagen derived from the skin and tendons of animals. Thus, a known process for dissolution of collagen of an animal skin (USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 162280, 1964) comprises an alkali-salt treatment of an animal skin with a subsequent neutralization and residence in an acidic medium to give a dispersion of collagen having pH of not higher than 2.5.
Known in the art is a process for preparing a hemostatic material from a dispersion of collagen (cg. USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 561564, 1977). Acidification of neutral dispersions of collagen obtained after an intensive alkali-salt treatment of animal skin and tendons are intermixed with thrombin and antibiotics, where after the mixture is frozen and dried in vacuum.
These processes cannot be employed for the preparation of collagen coverings to be used in ophthalmology, since the materials produced by these processes have clearly pronounced antigenic properties.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing and using ophthalmological collagen coverings. A particular object, is a covering for use in connection with microsurgical operations on the globe of the eye. A further object is an improved conservative treatment of traumatic and trophic injuries of the cornea of the eye having different etiology. Other objects will be apparent from consideration of the following description of the invention.